After exiting the Zombie Tools' Blacksmith store, Odin loaded the chest containing his machetes into the boot of the van. He drove off to another larger store named Dibella's Adventure Equipment in the center of Missoula. Without dragging his feet, he entered the shop and started purchasing all the outdoor equipment that he thought might be helpful during the apocalypse.

He bought all-weather hiking pants, jackets, shoes, gloves, and hats in pairs for himself, Aunt Lucy, and his sisters. He then selected a mid-sized camping tent, a tear-resistant and waterproof backpack, a first aid kit, a portable camping stove with its gas canister, and a couple of aluminum saucepans.

In the prophetic vision, Odin had caught glimpses of cases of the power blacking out and leaving surviving families stranded without any reliable energy sources for their livelihood. He'd also witnessed hordes of monsters destroying human cities and forcing people to escape into the surrounding wildernesses.

With all that knowledge, Odin was careful with his preparations.

He moved from shop to shop and bought printed maps of various surrounding states, medical supplies, face masks, instant noodles, high-energy calorie bars, bottled drinking water, etc. He didn't miss out on any item he deemed essential for survival during the approaching apocalypse. He only stopped when the van was almost filled-to-the-brim.

It was already 3:00 PM when he finished everything, and the roads shimmered in the heat of the afternoon sun when he drove the van back towards the gun shop.

Along the way, there were no mishaps. He managed to pick up the big bag containing his new firearms from the gun shop a few minutes later. He carefully stashed it under the other supplies in the back of the van before driving off and heading toward the highway leading out of Missoula.

On the way back to the resort, Odin was constantly on tenterhooks. He was worried about the law enforcers stopping him and checking the van. And since he had carried lots of guns without bringing along a concealed carry license, the cops would probably give him some hard time and delay his preparations.

Fortunately, his worries were all for naught. While maintaining a velocity below the speed limit, he successfully drove all the way to the resort in Paradise, Montana, without facing any hindrances on the road. And when he finally steered the van into the parking lot, he couldn't help but let out a long, drawn-out breath of relief.

He had finally managed to complete all the preparations for the approaching apocalypse. What remained was to settle down at the resort and ensure that his family remained safe throughout the initial stages of the entire ordeal.

"Bzzt Bzzzt! Bzzt Bzzzt..."

Suddenly, his phone started vibrating from his pocket as he sat there in the van's driver's seat. When he fished it out and glanced at the screen, he noticed that the call was from Prof. Evelyn Monroe. She was a relatively young professor who'd taught him a few animal biology courses during his first year at MSU. But more importantly, she'd also been his employer over the past six months.

"Hello, Professor," Odin spoke into the phone after picking up the call.

"Hello, Odin," Prof. Evelyn replied from the other end of the line. "I'm delighted to hear your voice again. How are you doing? Are you recovering well?"

"Hello, Professor. I am out of the hospital and back home. I also feel quite fine."

"I'm glad to hear that," she said. "On Monday, we'll be having the routine meeting of our research group. We'll hand out the paychecks for the past three months and have a short memorial session for our colleagues who passed away in Yellowstone. If you've already recovered by then, please come over. Your colleagues and I will be glad to see you again."

Odin's eyes narrowed slightly as the professor's invitation immediately allowed him to comprehend the power of the prophecy stone once again. In the prophetic vision, he'd seen himself standing with the professor when the first impact of the apocalypse descended. So, if he traveled to the university on Monday, the future would still play out the same. And then, his family would have to go through the initial stages of the apocalypse without him.

"Odin, are you there?" the professor's voice sounded through the phone speakers, breaking his thoughts.

"Professor," he said, "I'm still on the line. But for the meeting on Monday, I'm sorry I won't be able to attend. At the moment, I'm on a trip with my family. I can't make it."

"Oh, okay," she replied in a flat tone. "Since you're away with your family, your absence is understandable. I'll keep your paycheck safely for you. But if you get time, please pass by. I would like to talk to you."

Odin was about to reply with a few polite words but then decided against it. The professor had personally called him. It showed that she cared for him, at least to some extent. He would feel very guilty if he didn't warn her about the imminent disasters.

"Professor," he said, his tone turning somber. "If you can, please postpone the meeting."

"Why?"

"You should be aware of the growing incidents of mutated creatures around the globe," Odin replied. "So, there are some mysterious and unscientific factors causing these mutations. Now imagine if those factors descended upon our entire world all at once. What would happen? The world would immediately experience a calamity, and many people would die."

"Why are you telling me all this, Odin?" She asked after a moment. "And how's this related to the meeting on Monday?"

"That's because the wave of disasters will descend in full swing on Monday," Odin replied. "They'll change the entire ecology of the world as we know it, instantly bringing about various mutations. Many deaths will follow, and systems will fall apart. Professor, you shouldn't schedule the meeting for Monday. In fact, you should lock yourself inside your house after preparing enough food to last you for months. That's my advice to you. Goodbye."

Odin didn't wait for her to reply before ending the call. He'd done his part by telling her about the looming apocalypse. Whether or not she took the advice to heart was none of his business. He would not waste his brain cells trying to convince her of the approaching reality.

Just as he was about to place the phone down and exit the van, the phone vibrated once again. After glancing at the screen, he noticed that the call was from Nicole. He quickly pressed the accept button before holding it against his ear.

"Hi, Odin," Nicole's vibrant voice sounded through the speakers right away.

"Hi, Nicole," Odin replied. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay," she replied. "Did Professor Evelyn call you? She wants us to go for the research group meeting on Monday."

Odin's brows creased as he leaned back into the van's driver's seat. "I hope you didn't say yes to her invitation? Did you?"

"Of course not. I still remember your warning about the approaching Monday. I won't be going outside that day."

"That's a relief," Odin said, relaxing.

"I wouldn't be able to attend even if I wanted to," Nicole continued. “When I told my uncle, the one who's a ranger, about your prediction, he reacted abnormally. He took our two families all the way to Natrona, Wyoming, where he owns what he calls a zombie-proof fortress."

"Zombie-proof fortress!" Odin was startled.

Nicole chuckled. "Yes, a zombie-proof fortress," she confirmed. "My uncle seems to be a cult follower of apocalyptic prophesies, especially after going through the coronavirus ordeal over a decade ago. A few years ago, he built a survival condo in Wyoming to ensure his survival in case of a world-ending disaster. The place is huge, with one floor above the ground and three more enormous levels below ground. It's cozy and secure, just like those famous nuclear bunkers when you're inside."

"Your uncle is a smart man," Odin remarked, sighing at the ability of the rich. If he owned such a secure home, his family wouldn't face any dangers during the initial days of the approaching apocalypse. He would never have to worry about the mutated creatures or zombies that would soon rain carnage on human civilization.

"We have a lot of space and unoccupied rooms here," Nicole said after a moment. "Maybe you can come to this side of Natrona with your family. If your prediction is right, staying in a survival condo will be the best option for you and your family."

Odin's heart skipped a beat on hearing the invitation. For a moment, his mind leaned towards the suggestion. But after considering how he would have to drive through miles of jungles before reaching Natrona on the eve of the apocalypse, he gave up on the notion. Since there were chances of encountering powerful mutated creatures in the wild, it was better to stay in one place for the moment. Then, when he got stronger and gained the confidence to protect his family, he would consider Nicole's proposition.

"Nicole," he said after contemplating. "I cannot travel now. However, you can send me the directions to the survival condo. I'll surely come to the place to look for you in the future."

"Okay," Nicole replied in a seemingly disappointed tone. "I'll send the Google map directions to you right away. I have to go now. Greet Aunt Lucy, Bella, and Carol for me. Goodbye."

"Okay, I will," Odin replied. "Goodbye, and remember to lock the doors on Monday. Don't go outside."

"Okay," she said before hanging up.

Odin sighed and shook his head before jumping out of the van. There was a chance that he wouldn't be able to continue making calls to his friends when the descent finally happened. And just maybe, most of the people acquainted with him would die during the following few weeks, and he would never see them again.

Odin felt that the whole future was frustrating. But since he could not change it yet, he pushed the negative thoughts to the back of his mind and focused on the task at hand.

He'd already decided to leave most of the supplies in the van. He wasn't worried that anyone would steal them, especially with all the guards patrolling around the clock within the resort. They would be safe at least before the descent of the apocalypse.

As for the bag containing his newly-purchased firearms and the machete chest, he couldn't leave those two in the car no matter how secure the resort was. He slung the bag over his shoulder and held the chest in one hand before locking the van and walking toward his cabin.

-----

Odin spent the day before the descent of the apocalypse in a merry mood with his family. Since those were the last few hours of peace and calm, he figured he should enjoy them to the best of his ability.

He was abnormally active from morning to evening as he ate, drank, and laughed with his sisters and adoptive mother. He only excused himself when night came before heading back to his room to prepare his gear and weapons for the following day.

After entering his room, he inspected his two newly-purchased guns to ensure they were loaded and functioning before holstering them on his belt. He arranged all the ammunition boxes and spare magazines into his backpack and placed it to the side. Finally, he opened the chest containing his new machetes before lifting them out and placing them on a nearby table.

With all the weapons in hand, he believed he would be able to face any enemy. So, with a light heart, he turned his attention to the other preparations, like downloading the map sent over by Nicole and a few instruction videos focused on utilizing guns, swords, blades, and the body itself for combat.

By the time he finished prepping all the miscellaneous things he could think of, it was already past two in the morning. Going by the prophetic vision, the apocalypse would descend in a few hours. So, he spread his spirit energy to form his spatial sensing domain before closing his eyes to rest.

He didn't dare sleep deeply as he didn't know whether there would be dangerous variables, similar to the mutated rats, preceding the descent of the apocalypse. He stayed alert the entire night until the darkness slowly transitioned into the light of dawn seeping into his room.

The day when the earth would experience drastic changes had finally arrived. Chaos was about to descend. Odin, however, had transitioned to a state of unusual calmness. He felt ready since he had been preparing for the apocalypse for three days.

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